


I Lost Him

by bookaddict_99



Category: Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Light Angst, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Post-Season/Series 01, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Superheroes, Unrequited Love, Young Justice Season 1, they're both dorks, they're idiots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:54:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22689580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookaddict_99/pseuds/bookaddict_99
Summary: Artemis Crock doesn't have a soulmate. She thinks it's fate's cruel way of getting back at her for all the wrongs she's ever committed. The truth of the matter is that she found him. Had met her soulmate at the age of six and promptly lost him. It's a bit hilarious considering who she is. The world seemed to laugh at her misery and she presented plenty of entertainment.
Relationships: Artemis Crock/Wally West
Comments: 5
Kudos: 56





	I Lost Him

Artemis Crock doesn't have a soulmate. She thinks it's fate's cruel way of getting back at her for all the wrongs she's ever committed. The truth of the matter is that she found him. Had met her soulmate at the age of six and promptly lost him. It's a bit hilarious considering who she is. The world seemed to laugh at her misery and she presented plenty of entertainment.

She doesn't talk about soulmates with Wally and he doesn't ask. Making sure her forearm is always covered with makeup or hidden from view. She knows Robin saw it once. His eyes pitying her while she walked away. She didn't correct him. Didn't stay behind to let him know her soulmate isn't dead-at least she doesn't think so. She's just an idiot. The idiot who lost her soulmate.

She knows the team won't understand. After all, it's what makes soulmates soulmates. Their attraction to each other and the feeling of never wanting to let the other person go. They won't understand her indifference to the matter. Won’t understand why she gave up. Because how can you find your soulmate when you can't even remember anything about that day?

She's happy. Content with Wally's presence and their growing relationship. She loves him and as cheesy as it sounds, can see a future with him, but on certain nights she wonders if Wally hates her. She knows he hasn't found his soulmate. The fact presenting itself every time he says he loves her and chooses her over strangers on the street. And the guilt builds because what if it's her fault? What if she's the reason Wally hasn't found a soulmate yet? What if they're out there? Somewhere in the world waiting for a boy who Artemis has stolen from them. And as much as the guilt and angst threaten to overwhelm her, her selfishness is stronger. She doesn't want to let him go-she can't. It's a bit embarrassing to be reminded of how suddenly Wally dependent she has become. She used to be strong-hell, she still is strong-but now she can't seem to function without him. Anytime she's not with Wally she's thinking about him and she hates how she has suddenly become the stereotypical girls she judged in high school. But it also hurts because what she has with Wally isn't permanent. It's something delicate and fragile ready to be stopped at any second. She's reminded of that every second of every day she's with him and suddenly it happens.

Wally comes home late from a mission. Sneaking into bed with her like they'd done so many times, she barely reacts to it. It shouldn't be anything special or different but it's then that she sees it. Because Wally's forearm is not pale and smooth anymore. Words partially covered by makeup are now exposed and she wants to throw up and cry all at the same time because Wally is not hers. The fact settles itself into her gut like a rock taking with it all the air in her lungs. She bites her lip in the hope it will muffle the pitiful whimper threatening to escape her because dammit it hurts! Tears gather around her eyes and she gives up trying to blink them away when they stream down her cheeks.The lie had been easy to swallow when Wally's forearm had been bare but not now. Not when he met someone. When he met the person. His person.

She really does cry when another realization hits her. Because Wally has makeup on his soul mark, makeup he used to cover it up and she heaves with the knowledge that he could've met his soulmate months ago and she’d never known, never noticed because Wally met his soulmate, but he was still with her.

Questions flood her brain. Dizzying her and all wanting to burst out of her mouth and yet she can't. She wants to scream at him. To wake him up and demand answers but she can't. She's always known deep inside she was a coward and Artemis does what's been doing all her life. She runs. Still shaking from the knowledge she grabs her stuff and flees the room in favor of going to her mom's. Artemis avoids Wally like the plague.

She doesn't talk to her mother about this. Not to the woman who gave so much of her life to give her the best she could offer. Doesn't ask her mom who the words on her arm belong to. They'd had the conversation before. We found you in a playground when you had the mark, they had said. We don't know Artemis. We don't know. _Don't know_. And it's the worst feeling in the world, having to look at her mother in the face and feel the anger bubbling because while her parents were stealing something she had apparently found her soulmate. Found him and lost him in the span of 20 minutes and she has to sit there drowning in her misery because Wally has finally found the one thing she never can.

Her phone is a flood of messages from Wally and the team. All of them asking if she's ok and the lie taste like dust as it come out of her mouth. The silly excuse that she was sick and didn't want to infect the team crumbling into ash. She knows they don't buy it but no one is brave enough to say anything as they wish her to get better and she takes a week off. A week is all she needs. Seven days to come to terms with the fact that Wally isn't hers and she has to let him go. She can do this. Except she can't. She goes back to the team and all it takes is one look at him and she's running away like a coward. Offering to stay behind and doing all sorts of odd work too avoid him. Artemis had become Wally dependent and she wasn't sure she was ready to let him go.

It's during one of their missions that Wally corners her. Trapping her next to the wall and demanding answers she hates acknowledging. She can't even get mad him. He deserves answers after she had spent two weeks ignoring him but telling him she was happy he had found his soulmate felt the equivalent of getting stabbed in the heart.

“Why have you been avoiding me?”

There’s a moment where she’s shocked. Shocked at Wally’s rough treatment as he slams her against the wall. She can dimly hear her teammates fighting but she’s more preoccupied by Wally’s face gazing at her with such determination she immediately feels overwhelmed. Every emotion she had tried so hard to ignore coming to the surface. She knows if she keeps looking at him she’ll cry so she does what she does best. She latches on to her anger and hopes for the best.

“Are you fucking kidding me? Now's not the time we need to help the team-”

“They got it covered Art. Now why have you been avoiding me. Did I do something wrong? Did I say something?” His voice tapers off at the end and the worry behind his eyes breaks her. She really should be stronger than this.

“You didn't...fuck,” she gasps out, face scrunching up to as she struggles not to cry against him.

“Shit. Artemis I'm sorry ok. Whatever I did I'm sorry. I...if you want I can go get Zatanna ok? If you don't want to see me I can get her. I don't want you to be alone ri-”

“I saw it,“ she interrupts, her breath shaky. “I saw your soul mark.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah,” she says, struggling to keep further tears at bay. “I don't know when you found them but...you don't have to stay with me Wally. You should go with them. They're your soulmate you deserve them. You deserve this.”

“No. No no no no no. Shit Artemis. Look at me. That's not. Gods this is embarrassing.” She refuses to look up. Their feet being so much more interesting than his pity filled eyes or any other excuse he might tell her because she knows she's weak. Weak enough to accept him even with another waiting for him. “I didn't find my soulmate Artemis.”

“I saw the words Wally.”

“Ok yea I did but...God. Um, so yea. I found my soulmate Artemis.” His confirmation breaks her and she struggles to stay upright. “I found her but then I lost her.”

“I-I don't understand…”

“This is so embarrassing...but yea. I found my soulmate when I was little and then I lost her. I don't remember what she looked like and my parents weren't around when I saw her so. I don't know who she is.”

“Wait, you...” but she can't continue because there's hope building in her chest. Hope that maybe Wally can still be hers. That he doesn't have to go away.

“I didn't want to tell you because it's so embarrassing. I mean, I found my soulmate and lost her. I just...I know you don't like talking about him,” he says nodding to the words branded on her right forearm, “and I didn't want to make you uncomfortable. It's also something I don't like showing”

She suddenly understands Wally. Understands his reasoning. Because ever since she knew Wally he's always worn long sleeves. He's the only one out of the team who won't ask her about her soulmate. Who deflects any questions when people get annoying about the subject. She understands his reason for hiding it from her.

“I didn't-he's. He's not dead you know?”

“What?”

“My soulmate. He's not dead. At least I don't think he is.”

“Then why aren't you..” the rest of his entrance is silent. And she doesn't have to be a mind reader to know. Why aren't you with him? Why are you with me?

“I lost my soulmate too.”

“You..wait, what?” and he's doing that cute thing where he's so confused his brows furrow and his nose crinkles.

“I also lost my soulmate. I never told anyone about it but I also lost my soulmate.”

“Oh.” She doesn't let him speak after that. Leaning on her tiptoes to kiss him fully and ignoring the battle going on around them. She's ecstatic. Her heart beating so fast it's a wonder he hasn't heard it yet and she laughs into the kiss because Wally can still be hers. Maybe for a little while longer she can keep this boy in her life.

After their talk they become inseparable. Wally not hiding the words from her. The realization that they'd both lost soulmates strengthening their relationship until they're inseparable. Maybe fate was finally being kind to her because dammit she deserved this. She deserved to love Wally West. Their friends and family are understanding, still, Artemis doesn't miss that single flash of pity when they look at them. She knows no matter how happy Megan is for them she doesn't fully understand, but it's fine. They're fine. Strangers often stop them on the street to ask them when they found out they were soulmates. They try arguing, explaining how they hadn't been fated to be together but rather they had _chosen_ it. There's something a lot more powerful in that. Wally has stopped arguing with them. 

It doesn't take them long to decide to quit the team. While saving people is great the anxiety that comes when Wally is on a mission breaks her down until she suffers a panic attack. The feeling is reciprocated after she goes missing for two days and Wally almost burns himself out of existence.

They apply to college. Buying a house with some of their League money and enjoying civilian life. They still join in during simple missions or world threatening situations but for the most part their costumes lay hidden underneath the floorboards in their room. They are just Wally and Artemis. They no longer care about the words on their arms. Their relationship proves that you don't need a soulmate to live life. She does wonder sometimes who the other people are. Where her soulmate is and where Wally's soulmate is. She wonders if maybe the world was kind enough to pair them together the way it had seemed to pair them.

It's on Thanksgiving that she finds the world is not done toying with her yet. She and Wally are heading to the Allen household to celebrate the holiday, her mother having already arrived. She's not surprised to find that they're the last ones to arrive. Wally's wandering hands having been the cause of many of their delays.

“Hi Mrs. Allen.”

“Oh dear, how many times have I told you to call me Iris? Come in!”

The dinner was amazing. Not that she expected any less. With Wally's parents, the Allen’s, the Nguyen’s and Garricks it's a meal fit for royalty. It’s also important to note that feeding three speedsters requires the help of the whole family. Her mom even brought her favorite dessert which she digs in with gusto. It's only after the plates have been cleared and Wally and Barry have finished cleaning the kitchen that they decide to go for a walk. The speedsters burning with energy and their significant others standing up to indulge them. It becomes a family outing as Wally's parents and her mother tag along. The large group walking and laughing as stories get exchanged and the men play races. They're nearing a city park when Joan Garrick exclaims and calls out to Wally.

“Oh my gosh! Wally! Look! It's the park where you met your soulmate.” Artemis winces at the confession. Staring at her mother's narrowed eyes while Wally slides next to her placing a comforting hand across her shoulders.

“That's nice gran, but maybe we should talk about something else.” She knows he can feel her body tensing up next to him. Her and Wally had talked avidly about the situation. With both their soulmates technically alive it was always a possibility they might find them again. The words might no longer be an indication but science claimed that once you meet your soulmate you’d be inseparable. The talks had become more important once marriage was mentioned. She loves Wally with all her heart and to be faced with the possibility that one day he might leave her had been terrifying. The fear had increased once Wally admitted he wanted children with her. They had decided to wait a couple more years. Give time for the soulmark to do its magic before fucking society and doing their own thing.

“No,” her mom says. “When did Wally meet his soulmate?”

“He was six years old I think. Jay and I brought him here while Mary and Rudy had a date night. The kid was unstoppable back in those days. He might not have been a speedster yet but boy did Wally act like one.” Joan and Mary share a laugh at the news but her mother's face is blank.

“Tell me Joan, do you remember the date Wally found his soulmate?” The others seemed to have caught up with her mother's tension and all other talk ceases. Artemis burns with embarrassment hoping her mom will stop the investigation.

“Mom, I think we should stop with the questions..”

“Yes, it was September 23. Why?”

“Artemis you don't understand,” her mother exclaimed excitedly. Her next words are a mix of vietnamese and english. “You found your soulmate in this park too! You found him on September 23.”

There's a moment of silence as she struggles to process those words. She stares at Wally in shock. Her forearm prickling with the words _you're pretty_ tattooed there. Knowing on his forearm the words d _o you mind_ are tattooed, such an Artemis response she could never help but feel close to Wally's intended soulmate.

“Wait...you're saying…” Wally starts.

She has a less eloquent response.

“What the fuck!”


End file.
